Original things for original people.

Category Archives: Knit and Crochet

So in amidst of cleaning, I finally sorted out my scrap paper box and got it organized. I think that is the second hardest thing to organized in my little art space. Stamps are still number one. However you will be happy to hear that I finished going through the wooden stamps and gave the ones that I don’t used anymore to my friend J. She really loves me now. But I digress again.

So last Monday, I picked up the scrap paper box as I have done before several times. Except this time, something happened. I pulled a muscle in my back. Ouch is right. So after my shower, I took a couple of muscle relaxers and the worst case with them, I ended up talking to furniture.

Well not this time, I ended up being sick as a dog for the next three days. Although I am kind of thinking that it might have been stress that made me sick. I have been dealing with stress of my boyfriend’s daughter health problems, orders and now with Halloween coming up. And the biggest stress is the upcoming sales in Bentley. As usual, I have that little voice in my head telling me that I don’t have enough. I know, I know, “Lesley, stop listening to the voices in your head.”

Finally Friday, I dragged myself out of bed and went out to pick up some rubber cement for mail art. My back is still sore, but very SLOWLY getting better. It is testing my patience again. And I can’t work on my cards or albums until my back is better because I am constantly bending down and picking up stuff. I can however knit and crochet so I am working on a scarf right now. But I want to paint and do some mail art. I know, I know, I am never happy.

I know it has been awhile . . . again since I last post. I have been still dealing with back problems and cleaning. This is my next big cleaning up project.

The clean stamps. I foresee a few slurpees and chocolates just to get through it. It is a complete mess.

Although a funny note is while I was sorting out my buttons, this truck button was stuck in this jar. I eventually got it out with a help from a friend. But still that question still remains, how the heck did it get in there if I can’t get it out. Good grief.

However I have participated in a few art exchanges. One was favourite quote on an ATC and we had to used a playing card. This was mine and the second one was the one I received from the exchanged. I went alittle overboard because I completely covered the playing card.

The quote is from Maya Angelou, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

These two are birthday cards for my nieces. I cannot believe one of them turned 18, ghee, it didn’t seem so long ago when she was playing with Barbie.

I did do a delivery for Koda’s Kountry for Easter. And please excuse my big toe in the shot

The sale came and went. It wasn’t my best sale, but it wasn’t the worst. Unless you asked my back, and it will tell you it was. Sitting in that hard chair for over 6 hours, despite the fact, that I did walk around and go to the bathroom. But I think I might have strained it because it was still hurting two days later. And I was taking some pretty heavy painkillers. I don’t like taking those painkillers unless I am in really bad pain. And I was.

What did me in, besides the chair, was there was a booth next to us. The ladies were selling cards for a $1. And yes, you are reading it right. So who wants to buy a $3 card where there are cards selling for a $1 each. I only sold one card.

I didn’t sell any dishcloths which I was surprised.

Then again, last year, I had 4 cards for $6 and 3 dishcloths for $5. And with the cost of material going up, I had to raised my prices.

A from the store in Bentley was happy that I was actually raising my prices. It is hard to figure out of the prices on cards. Sure, I can figure out the cost of paper and stickers. But when it comes to ink or a stamp. How do I factor in those costs. Obviously, I cannot throw in the price of an inkpad on every card.

But she wasn’t happy about those ladies. She told me that she always tried to sit people who are selling the same craft across the room. Not side by side. And she couldn’t believe that they were selling their cards for $1.

But I did get a bonus. A gave me an envelope punch. I’ve been dying to get my hands on one, but they are like $40. So I am happy and been waiting for a time to try it out. Also to send a picture to J to make her jealous. Petty, I know. But oh well, blame it on the painkillers. The problem is waiting until my back is better. I am still make a couple of cards. Besides it is a good excuse to try out the punch, but I have to bring some to my hairdresser next week. And make one for J, the fellow cardmaker. So yeah, no pressure.

I am still knee deep with all of the sale stuff. But yet, I managed to make time for a get well present for my boyfriend’s daughter. I crochet a little bunny, threw in some monster socks, hair bands, a sucker with the label saying “Surgery Sucks”. I even made a beaded bracelet. That was interesting since I haven’t made one of those in over 20 years. Thank goodness for YouTube.

The hard part of this was my boyfriend. He was expecting was this package. He didn’t know that I was sending this to his daughter so I had to stall. He know of when I am lying to him. So I did what any insane person would have done in my situation. Ate food knowing full well that it would disagreed with her and fake a migrane.

Ok, I don’t know of why I can’t get the photos up. And I don’t have to time to figure it out. I have a bunch of cards and two albums to finish.

I also gave my boyfriend a candy bar. If I was sending him a parcel, it would be nice to give him something. Well this is the part where I want to either hug him or punch him in the arm for. He gave his candy bar to her. How am I suppose to spoil my boyfriend if he keeps giving it away.

The sale is less than two weeks and I am in panic. And I know I am always like that every year so it should make a big different.

So that is the reason of why I am ending this blog. Hope everyone is ok.

I have less than three weeks before the big sale in Bentley, Alberta. While everyone including my bf tells me that I am going to be fine, I am still freaking out. I have enough Christmas cards that my plastic bin for Christmas cards is completely full. I can’t put anymore in. I still have to make a few birthday cards and some bird cards. But I am still worried that I don’t have enough or no one is going to buy anything.

I know, I know, breath.

I am still planning to do the draw, but I can only do one prize. I didn’t get the shawl done in time, but the album is almost done. And if I do say so myself, it looks damn good. I am hoping to get it done this week and try to figure out of what to say.

I want to hand out tickets for customers when they make a purchase, but I do not want to give someone three tickets if they buy three dishcloths. It has to be purchased price. As well I am still trying to figure out of how to document the drawing and posting it on here. I am not technical person.

The big problem is that life got in the way again. My mom’s computer got hacked into so I had to help her out. Did I mentioned that I am NOT a technical person? Then I thought that I could move a table to get to plug in my charger. Notice the word, “thought”, you guess it, I was wrong. I ended up throwing my back out so that was just peachy.

So I missed a few days of working. I am hoping today to finish 5 cards, and a bear. No problem. . . . I hope.

In other news, I cannot remember if I mentioned this, but one of my hairdresser’s clients saw my cards and bears and offered to put them in her sales during the summer if I want. Of courses, I said yes. The sales went really good and I sold out of little bears. The only part that bugs me that she removed all of the care instructions of my knitted and crochet works.

Why would she do that? If I brought a scarf, I would like to know of how to wash it without the fear of wrecking it.

The good news is the money I made from the sales, I was able to treat myself to a color and purple highlights. I thought it would be nice to treat myself that didn’t involved chocolate, or yarn. I thought of getting a manicure, but I am so stressed out that I have been chewing my nails. So that is not a good idea.

You may recall that I did a post about this ball of yarn and that I had no idea of what to do with it. And that I have a yarn addiction that I do go shopping to get a fix. But mainly, what should I do with this ball. What should I make?

I do not know why this link will not work. So you have to copy and paste it yourself. Good grief.

But nevertheless, here is the scarf. I ended up making it into a cowl. Something simple and easy.

In other news, I finished a step in the prize album for the Christmas Sale in Bentley. I am currently waiting on supplies, but I thought I would give everyone a sneak peek. I am really proud of myself that I might have to make myself one.